


Be My Weekend Lover But Don't Be My Friend

by key_exchange



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Dom/sub Undertones, Drunken Shenanigans, Enemies to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers Back to Enemies, Explicit Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, Hand Jobs, M/M, Neck Kissing, Oral Sex, Porn with Feelings, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:12:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26370178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/key_exchange/pseuds/key_exchange
Summary: What causes someone to hate another person so much it drives them to throw away their life’s work and commit high treason?  How complex must their relationship be for one to die for the sake of making the other fail?  Hypothetically, a typical work-place rivalry could escalate to that point, but what if it was something else? Something more personal, perhaps?
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Comments: 6
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For years, I’ve been fascinated and baffled by the dynamic between these two characters I absolutely love to hate, and I am now firmly of the belief that the only explanation is that they are exes. The outline of this fic has been living in my mind rent free since January and I just needed to share this theory with everyone, so yeehaw, here y'all go!

Hux and Phasma stood on the periphery of a, well, “celebration” was too cheerful a word for what was going on. It was more like a strategy meeting with copious amounts of alcohol -- being in an actual meeting room certainly didn’t help the ambiance. Neither of them wanted to be there, but since they were the reasons why their fellow officers felt the need to “celebrate”, they felt obligated to at least show up. It was pathetic, really -- all they had done was successfully work together with Kylo Ren long enough for Supreme Leader Snoke to get off everyones’ asses. Sure, they obtained some highly valuable information, but it did not warrant this sort of a reaction. Honestly, it just reflected how “well” things had been going recently. It was nice to get recognition, but  _ this?  _ This was tedious.

“I’m surprised Ren isn’t here. I thought he would be all over an event praising his accomplishments.” Phasma said, rolling her eyes before downing a glass of sparkling wine. 

Hux smirked. He could always tell when she was rolling her eyes, but being able to actually  _ see _ her roll her eyes really added to the experience. “He’s probably too busy sulking.”

“Probably, but at least he isn’t here to make this gathering worse.”

They clinked their glasses together and continued observing others from afar. Soon, an officer who had clearly had a little too much to drink approached them.

“Good evening, General,” he said to Hux, and then turned to Phasma, “good evening, Captain.”

“What do you want?” Phasma asked sternly.

“Will Ren be attending tonight?” 

Hux and Phasma exchanged knowing glaces.

“Evidently not.” Hux replied.

“Quite right, sir.” The officer nodded. “Sir, should we bring him one of these bottles of wine? We sure as hell don’t need all of this, and he deserves--”

“We’ll take care of it,” Hux interrupted. 

“Very good, sir.” The officer nodded again, and then stumbled off.

“Well, you better get to it, then,” Phasma sneered at Hux.

“Me?”

“It was  _ your _ idea.”

“I don’t know why I said that. I just wanted him to shut up.”

Phasma laughed at him. “You could have just ordered him to go away. I think that,” she pointed at the glass of wine he was holding, “has gone to your head a little.”

“It has  _ not _ . But fine. I’ll do it.”

“I’m sure it won’t be that bad. Just go over there, drop it off, and come back.”

He grabbed a bottle of sparkling wine and a glass off the conference table, then walked out the door. As soon as he got out the door, he realized he was still holding his own glass.  _ Maybe it is going to my head _ , he thought, but he didn’t turn back to set the glass down. He wouldn’t give Phasma the pleasure of seeing him have to correct a second mistake that night, so he kept walking.

* * *

Kylo Ren knew there was some sort of event happening, but he wanted nothing to do with it. Instead, he changed into new clothing after a long day and stayed in his private quarters. 

A knock at his door caught him off guard. He almost yelled at whoever it was to go away until he sensed it was General Hux.  _ He wouldn’t be here unless it was important,  _ he thought as he reluctantly went to answer the door. When he opened the door, he was even more caught off guard by the sight of Hux with an empty glass in one hand, a half full glass in the other, and a bottle of wine tucked under his arm. Before Ren could ask what was going on, Hux answered his question.

“The others wanted you to have this,” Hux said, handing him the glass and the bottle before he had a chance to protest.

“Why are  _ you _ the one to bring this to me?”

“Does it really matter?” 

It was clear from the glass in his hand that Hux had been drinking, but he put on a very believable facade of sobriety. Were he not holding the evidence, Ren would have almost bought the act --  _ almost.  _ There was something slightly off about him. Ren had never seen him inebriated, and he was amused by the idea of seeing his rival in an altered state.

“Would you like to come in and share this?” Ren said, raising the wine bottle.

“Why not,” Hux said, much to the surprise of both of them.

They proceeded into Ren’s quarters. It was cold and barren, with nowhere to sit. Ultimately, they ended up sitting on the edge of Ren’s bed, as far apart as physically possible. Ren popped open the sparkling wine and offered to top off Hux’s glass.

“I’ve already had some. Catch up first,” Hux dared him.

“Alright then,” Ren replied, accepting the challenge by almost overfilling his glass and downing it faster than was a good idea.

The next few minutes felt like an eternity of drinking in silence as they stared off into different corners of the room. Neither of them knew how to hold a conversation with each other that wasn’t at least a heated debate. Much to his own disbelief, Ren found himself saying, “I guess I should thank you for the wine.”

“Then I suppose I should thank you for earlier. I may not agree with you on some -- most things, but I do respect your abilities as a warrior,” Hux said with a tinge of resentment in his voice.

Ren was taken aback. That was the closest thing to a compliment he’d ever received from Hux.

“What? You do?” He asked, turning to Hux.

Hux gave Ren a disgusted look. “Don’t act surprised.”

“I can never tell what you’re thinking; you’re so reserved.”

“I just assumed you dug that out of my mind at some point.” Hux finished his glass of wine.

“Something about that never felt right.” 

“I’m honored,” Hux said sarcastically.

“You seem to know everything about me,” Ren leaned closer, “but I know almost nothing about you,” he snarled.

“Most people don’t know anything about me,” Hux also leaned in, seething with contempt, “you’re not special. But if it’s really that important to you, go ahead. Go look through my head.”

Ren put his glass down on the floor and moved closer to Hux. He held his hand up to Hux’s head and began concentrating. No sooner had he breached his mind than he saw Hux’s childhood, the father who never wanted him, the anger, the pain, the fear. Ren figured Hux had been through something -- no one naturally turns out like him -- but it all started making sense. He lowered his hand and looked away.

“I don’t know what to say.” Ren then met Hux’s eyes again.

They stared at each other in a moment of mutual understanding. Ren and his rival were sitting on his bed, so close they were almost touching, and he couldn’t decipher his own emotions. He still actively disliked Hux, but he also felt somewhat bad for him, and somehow, the situation was kind of exhilarating. 

Hux leaned in slightly more, and then abruptly turned away. “It’s getting late. I should get going.”

“You’re right,” Ren said, snapping back into reality. 

Hux stood up, trying to suppress how flustered he was. He took a few steps forwards and stumbled slightly.

“Are you sure you’ll be able to get back to your quarters okay?” Ren smirked.

“I don’t want you to  _ walk me home _ , if that’s what you’re asking.”

“No, not at all. I was asking if you’re in any position to be seen by someone on your way back.”

Hux was about to say something, but stopped himself. Ren didn’t have to read his mind to tell he was doing mental calculations. Hux would never let a subordinate see him even slightly off his game. Ren then realized if there was any sort of incident, however minute, they might not ever hear the end of it from Snoke.

“If you want,” Ren started, “you can spend the night here -- on the floor, that is.”

Hux sighed in defeat. “That would probably be for the best.”

“If it’s any consolation, we can finish this,” Ren said, picking up the wine bottle that still had about a third of its contents.

* * *

Hux couldn’t believe that any of this was happening. He and Kylo Ren were sitting together in silence and he was about to suffer the indignity of sleeping on Ren’s floor. It was humiliating. Plus there was something about the atmosphere in the room that was off. There had always been tension between them, that was the basis of their dynamic, but this? Whatever this was was different and frankly, it was unnerving.  _ I shouldn’t have let him into my mind,  _ he thought to himself. Even more peculiar than all of this was that Ren didn’t look completely terrible. Hux kept finding himself looking at Ren’s hair. He had recently washed it and it almost resembled a style. Hux had never seen Ren without greasy, awful hair. He was surprised by how fluffy it was and caught himself wondering if it was as soft as it looked. He looked away and stamped out the thought. 

Hux slowly shook his head. “Look at the two of us.”

“Huh?”

“How did we get here?” Hux said incredulously. He looked over at Ren, whose expression was more agreeable than he had ever seen.

“I was wondering the same thing,” Ren said, briefly half-smiling at Hux.

Much to his own disgust, he found himself oddly drawn to Ren. He tried his best not to look into it any further, but he noticed that Ren appeared to be experiencing something similar. They looked each other up and down, examining the other in more detail than they ever would have ever imagined. There was a certain sadness to Ren’s eyes. As Hux studied them, he slowly leaned closer to Ren. With their faces mere inches apart, a thought crossed his mind that he dismissed as soon as it appeared. However, it seemed that Ren had either been in his head again or had the same thought, because he closed the gap between them. His lips faintly brushed against Hux’s before Hux put a hand on Ren’s chest, stopping him.

“We shouldn’t do this,” Hux said, despite the desire starting to rise up in him.

Ren stood up abruptly. “I’m sorry. That was a bad idea.”

“You know we can’t let our feelings get in the way of doing our duties.” He looked up at Ren who seemed even taller from this angle.

“You’re right, I--”

Hux took a deep breath. “Which means,” he said, making eye contact as he got up, “what happens next just can’t mean anything.”

* * *

Ren’s breathing grew heavy as they established ground rules.

“Snoke can never know about this,” Ren said sternly as he helped undo the buttons on Hux’s uniform.

“What happens tonight does not leave this room,” he replied as he shrugged off his jacket. 

“We just have to make sure our emotions don’t get involved,” Ren said as he took off his shoes.

Hux followed suit. “Of course not. Don’t think for a second this is anything romantic,  _ Ren _ .” 

“Let’s just get this out of our systems, and we can go back to normal tomorrow.”

“Good. Before we start, we’re going to need--” 

Ren summoned a packet of bacta from across the room using the Force. “This?”

“Yes, although that’s not ideal, but it’ll do.”

Ren set it down on the bed and then removed his shirt, tossing it to the side. He took a step towards Hux, who stepped back, looking at him hungrily. He was mad at himself for how much this filled him with desire, but he continued stepping forward, and Hux continued stepping away until he backed into the wall. Ren put his hand on the wall next to Hux's head.

"Have you ever done this before?" Hux asked.

"No."

"No? I guess I'll have to walk you through it." He took Ren's free hand and placed it under his shirt, guiding it up his chest.

Ren shivered. He couldn’t remember the last time he had touched another person outside of combat. He lifted Hux’s shirt over his head and discarded it on the floor next to his own. He wasn’t sure what to expect -- he knew there was no way Hux could be muscular, but there was a surprising elegance to his slim build. Ren glanced down at his collarbone, and then up at his eyes. Hux nodded and ran his fingers through Ren’s hair, pulling his head down. Ren planted a small kiss on the crook of his neck.

“Is that it?” Hux dared.

Ren took hold of Hux’s shoulders and kissed his neck again, biting down, and rocking his hips into him. It felt like a surge of electricity running through him. As their bodies pressed together, Ren could feel just how turned on they both were. He stepped back and admired the mark that was developing. Their breathing quickened as they scrambled for the waistbands of each other’s pants. They quickly stripped each other down and made their way to the bed. Hux lay down, sprawled out, and pulled Ren on top of him. They paused. Hux felt around the bed for the packet of bacta and tore it open with his teeth. Hux took Ren in his hand, stroking his length to cover him in the bacta. Ren let out a small gasp as a wave of pleasure rushed over him; he was already leaking. He knew approximately what was supposed to happen next, but he didn’t know how to ask. 

“Do I just…?” 

“Just let me,” Hux said, guiding him in. 

Ren began moving his hips. 

“Slowly,” Hux cautioned as Ren pressed into him.

Ren took his time gradually working his way in and slowly thrusting deeper. He picked up the pace and set a rhythm. The feeling of sliding in and out was intoxicating, but he couldn’t look Hux in the eyes while fucking him. (That would mean he’d have to admit to himself how much he enjoyed this -- not just the sense of control, or the pleasure, but the human connection.) Instead, he lowered himself to his forearms, leaving marks on the other side of Hux’s neck, listening to his moans. Ren’s breathing grew faster and he felt like he was becoming lighter as he approached the edge of climax. He thrust harder and harder, letting out a moan as he tipped over the edge. 

Ren pulled out and finally made eye contact with Hux, whose cheeks were flushed and whose eyes looked vulnerable and greener in this light. He grabbed either side of Ren’s face and kissed him. It was… tender. Ren could sense Hux was feeling an intense mix of emotions, and he realized that he himself was struggling to remain indifferent. 

Ren broke away from the kiss, and sat on his knees. “I thought we weren’t going to get our feelings involved.”

“I don’t care,” Hux said, sitting up to match Ren. He was still aroused.

Ren nodded before embracing and kissing him, letting all his emotions pour out. He kissed Hux again, then reached down and began stroking him. Hux ran his hands up and down Ren’s back as he grew harder. Ren ran his free hand through Hux’s hair, slightly messing it up, but he didn’t seem to care about that -- he was too close to care about anything. Ren just barely tightened his hold around Hux and stroked faster and faster. Ren kissed him again, smothering his moan as he climaxed, gripping Ren’s shoulders, leaving scratches down his back. Their breathing returned to normal, and they shared one more gentle kiss before collapsing on the bed together.


	2. Chapter 2

Hux woke up. It took him a few moments to fully come to and recognize the strange surroundings, but then he realized his head was resting on Kylo Ren’s chest. _So, that_ did _happen_ , he thought. He lay there, internally trying to justify his behavior. _Surely it must have been that damn wine,_ he reasoned. But he didn’t even feel hungover. Yes, being a bit drunk certainly hadn’t helped, but he knew deep down there was a part of him that had always wanted to do that. A wave of self-loathing overcame him, so he started planning his exit strategy. He slowly lifted his head, trying not to disturb Ren, but was startled by seeing Ren looking back at him.

“You’re awake,” he said.

“Good morning to you too,” Ren sarcastically replied as he reached over to turn on the lights.

Hux sat up, pulling the sheet up to cover most of his torso. He felt so much more exposed now, in the light. 

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

Ren shrugged. “You looked like you needed sleep.”

Hux didn’t respond; Ren was right. The last time he saw his reflection, he noted that the dark circles under his eyes had gotten more prominent. 

“Here,” Ren said, tossing Hux’s clothes at him.

“Thank you…” 

As they dressed, they sat on either side of the bed, facing away from each other. They didn’t speak or acknowledge the other’s presence, save for a brief moment when Hux looked over his shoulder and saw the marks on Ren’s back. _I really did a number on him, didn’t I…_ Hux thought to himself as he turned back around. He put his hand on his neck, remembering the feeling of Ren’s lips on his skin, and wondered what state he must be in. He finished getting dressed and checked the time, discovering they had a meeting in ten minutes.

“We have to get going,” Hux said to Ren, not meeting his eyes. 

“We shouldn’t go together--”

“No, of course not,” Hux said disgustedly as he began heading towards the door. 

“Wait,” Ren stopped him, “we should make sure no one sees you leave here.” 

Ren opened the door and peered around the corner. After determining no one was nearby, he waved Hux over. As Hux approached the door, he wondered if he should say something -- or do something? He felt a fleeting impulse to brush a piece of hair out of Ren’s face -- _no. What happened last night, happened last night._ He shot a quick glance at Ren before leaving his quarters.

* * *

Hux made it to the meeting with what would be plenty of time to spare by just about anyone else’s standards -- no one had even arrived yet except for Phasma. He froze as she spotted him from the corner where she stood, her silver armor feeling ever so slightly more imposing than usual. There was plenty of distance between them in the vast, empty room, and yet, he felt cornered. He had _always_ been the first person to arrive at every meeting, and they both knew that. 

“Morning,” he said flatly. He hoped that _maybe_ if he acted tired she wouldn’t question him or his appearance, which he could only assume was ghastly. And it wasn’t entirely inaccurate -- he did not exactly sleep that much the previous night…

“General Hux,” Phasma acknowledged with a tinge of judgement in her voice.

He walked over and planted himself next to her. Perhaps, if he said nothing, others would start turning up, deterring her from prying. 

“You didn’t come back last night,” Phasma stated, inspecting him.

“Well, I--”

She stepped in front of him and carefully grabbed the collar of his shirt right where he knew there was a bruise and let out a laugh, “what was this one’s name?”

“That’s none of your business, Captain,” Hux retorted as a wave of shame washed over him.

“I do hope he was nice, at least,” she said as she adjusted his shirt and coat to better obscure the mark. 

He didn’t respond and looked away as Phasma proceeded to fix his hair. 

“There,” she said, giving him a belittling pat on the head, indicating her work was done. 

He was genuinely thankful to have someone to do damage control on his appearance, but it -- all of it was humiliating nonetheless. They proceeded to the giant table and sat side by side as they watched officers slowly start trickling in. The pre-existing stiffness in the room shifted to a more on-edge, hostile energy when Kylo Ren stormed through the door, ignoring everyone in the room. 

“How did he react to that wine you brought him last night?” Phasma asked Hux in a hushed tone.

He didn’t respond. He just gritted his teeth.

“That good, I see,” she said, almost sounding amused.

Ren walked past them and Hux clenched his fists.

“What happened between you two?”

Hux looked down. He could feel his face turning red from embarrassment and indignation.

Phasma turned towards him and lowered her voice. “What. Did. You. _Do_?”

He glanced up at her with a half-angered, half-pleading expression. Phasma’s shoulders relaxed as she sat back, understanding that look as clear as day. Hux looked back down at the table. Though he could not see her face, he knew that she was glaring at him judgmentally, and he could _feel_ that she was also taking pity on him.

* * *

The following few weeks were just awful. Ren had been doing his best to avoid Hux and it seemed Hux had been avoiding him too. He once found himself taking a sharp turn and going the long way around to his quarters just because he saw Hux off in the distance. The only times they interacted was when they absolutely had to. They barely even acknowledged each other’s presence when they had to meet with Snoke together, who eventually noticed their relationship was worse for wear, and told them in no uncertain terms to put aside their differences to get their damn jobs done.

It was unbearable. All Ren could think about when he saw Hux was _that_ night. Even when he was alone, he sometimes caught himself thinking about it. It made him so angry -- but there was something else to it, and he often found himself becoming aroused. He hated it. He hated this mix of emotions swirling around in his head that shouldn’t be able to exist simultaneously. Ren made his mind up and decided he’d confront Hux about it. He didn’t know when this was going to happen, what was going to happen or even what he wanted to happen, but he knew it couldn’t go on like this. 

Ren soon got the opportunity after leaving a one-on-one meeting with Snoke. He spotted Hux in a corridor near his quarters. Instead of avoiding Ren, Hux’s eyes locked onto him. He’d seen Hux mad before, but this was different. There was ferocity to his expression he’d never seen before. Had he not known Hux, he might have even felt threatened. _Might._

Ren quickly walked up to him, “General Hux, can I have a word with you?”

“What is this about--”

“In private.”

After a moment, Hux responded, “Fine.”

Ren whisked Hux away to his quarters. When they got inside and the door had been firmly shut, Hux asked his question again. “What the hell is this about?”

“Us,” Ren gestured back and forth between them. “This.”

“What about _this_?” Hux mimicked his gesturing.

“We said we weren’t going to let that night compromise our duties to Snoke, but you heard what he said.”

“Take that stupid thing off,” Hux said firmly, gesturing to Ren’s mask.

“We agreed that what happened in that room would stay in that room. But it clearly didn’t."

“Take off the damn mask,” Hux snapped. “We are not having this conversation with you hiding behind that thing.”

Ren reached up and slowly removed the mask, setting it aside. “That night plays over and over in my head and--”

He didn’t know exactly where he was going with his thought, but he didn’t get the chance to finish it when Hux firmly grabbed either side of his face and kissed him. This stunned Ren, and yet he did not hesitate to kiss him back -- to kiss him deeper, to place one hand on his face and the other on the small of his back, pulling their bodies together. Ren felt a jolt of pleasure run up his spine. Maybe it was because there wasn't any alcohol dulling his senses, or maybe it was because he was aware of emotions, however confusing they were, but everything felt more intense than the last time. 

He broke away from the kiss, high on the release of weeks and weeks’ worth of tension. It was surreal. He looked at this man he’d spent so long hating, and quite frankly, he still felt that hatred. But now their simple dynamic was tainted by this _other_ feeling -- he didn’t want to admit it was attraction, but no other word explained this _thing_ eating away at him. What was there to be attracted to in someone as weak and petty as Hux? _His eyes…_ Ren momentarily thought as Hux looked back at him.

“Why are you doing this?” Ren demanded.

“Because no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I vehemently disagree with you on so many fundamental issues, I am completely captivated by you,” Hux replied, shaking slightly with rage.

They both froze -- Hux looking like he shouldn’t have said that, and Ren shocked by Hux’s admission of what they were apparently both experiencing. They had come to a crossroads. Regardless of what he said next, Ren accepted that their relationship was not going to be the same when they walked out of this room as it was when they had walked in. He wouldn’t repeat his previous mistake -- he wouldn’t tell himself the same lie that he could stay detached from these unwelcome amorous feelings.

“I…” Ren started, “feel the same way.”

“So what happens now?”

“We... do this. We conduct ourselves as professionally as we can in public, and -- and then we let whatever _this_ is take over in private,” Ren stumbled over his words, saying and thinking them concurrently.

“How do we know this will work?” Hux said, that vulnerable look in his eyes that Ren had only seen while fucking him.

“We don’t,” he said plainly. 

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Ren replied, confusion painted on his face. “No further questions? No speech about how you value your position in the First Order and can’t compromise it?”

Hux curled his lip at this. “As far as I’m concerned, the damage has already been done. I have been utterly distracted since _that_ night and I am willing to do just about anything to rid myself of this feeling.”

“So, what… should we do?” Ren asked, uncomfortably.

Hux stared at him. It was clear he knew what Ren was asking and wanted him to say it, to own up to this new, sexual component of their relationship, but it was just so difficult. He was still grappling with his emotions and he knew that wasn’t going to end anytime soon.

Ren took a deep breath. “What do you want to do now, _together_?”

This was only marginally better, but it seemed to suffice. “You could start by kissing me,” Hux said directly, rolling his eyes.

“Fine,” Ren responded, frankly. 

He wasn’t scared to kiss Hux, he’d done it before, but he was stepping into new territory. This was going to be the first time they kissed where it was allowed to mean something, and there was something about that that was just a little bit frightening. Ren took a step forward, glancing down at Hux’s mouth then up at his eyes before slowly leaning in to kiss him. He shivered as their lips touched, and he felt Hux relax into it -- he didn’t even know he was capable of relaxing. He almost laughed at this, but the amusement he felt was overpowered by the warm, tingling sensation running through his body.

Hux pulled away and shot Ren a wicked look as he led him to the bed. It was like the way he’d looked at him earlier that day, but with an air of playfulness to it. Hux motioned to Ren to sit down. Ren was surprised by how assertive Hux was, but he was more surprised by how much he liked it. He sat down on the edge of the bed and watched as Hux pulled off his coat and straddled him, causing Ren to put a hand out behind himself to keep from falling back all the way back. Hux gripped the back of Ren’s head and kissed him before removing Ren’s cloak.

“We’re doing this?” Ren asked.

“Yes, it appears we are,” Hux replied, getting off of Ren.

Ren undid the top buttons on Hux’s uniform, opening it up to reveal his collarbone. He kissed his neck and was about to bite down when--

“Careful,” Hux warned, “it was nearly impossible to hide those marks you left on me last time, and I don’t want there to be an incident.”

“Oh,” said Ren before kissing his neck again, gentler this time.

“I never said you couldn’t bruise me. I just said they need to be able to be hidden,” Hux smirked.

They took their time undressing each other, running their hands over the other’s body as they removed each article of clothing and their mouths lingering on each newly exposed piece of skin. Though this was only the second time they had done this, they somehow knew each other’s bodies and wants. It was dreamlike -- like one fluid motion that felt both short and drawn out. The next time Ren checked in with reality, he was deep inside Hux, having picked him up and pinned him to the wall. The sensation of Hux’s legs wrapped around him and his hands digging into the back of Ren’s shoulders was electrifying. Their bodies were completely pressed together, creating a level of intimacy Ren had never felt before. There was still a part of Ren that couldn’t believe he was fucking him again, but in a strange way it felt right, and it _undeniably_ felt good. Hearing the sounds Hux was making made it harder and harder not to come.

“Are you close?” Ren asked.

“Yes,” Hux barely managed to gasp out, “keep going.”

So he did, thrusting faster and kissing Hux harder until he came. It wasn’t long before Ren reached his own climax. 

“That was--” Ren panted out.

“Good,” Hux cut him off, his breathing equally heavy.

“Yeah.”

They stood face to face, taking in the sight of each other, processing what just transpired. After a few moments, they cleaned themselves up and got dressed. 

“I should get going,” Hux said bluntly.

He wasn’t surprised by the way Hux’s tone had shifted, but he was a little disappointed by how abrupt it was. “Okay,” he replied.

Ren walked Hux to the door and thought that was going to be that, but he was taken aback as Hux planted a final kiss on his lips before slipping out of his quarters. He stared at the door long after it had closed and shook his head before moving on to doing what he actually planned on doing that day.

* * *

Ren and Hux still sniped at each other at their next strategy meeting. That would never change. But they were able to look at each other again. Sure, they mostly looked at each other with contempt, but that was what it was like between them before _that_ night. Hux was pleased to see his prediction that pursuing his bizarre attraction to Ren wouldn’t make their professional relationship any worse had been accurate. After the meeting, Phasma pulled Hux aside.

“I see you and Ren are no longer on the verge of killing each other. Did you two make up?” She asked, half mockingly.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Phasma turned to him. 

“Alright, fine,” he said, giving in. “We had a conversation and we have returned to being on civil terms.”

She looked him up and down. In the reflection of her armor, Hux could see the unconvincing look on his face.

“I see…” she began walking away, but stopped just long enough to add, “at least you don’t look like hell this time.”


	3. Chapter 3

It took a few weeks, but Kylo Ren and General Hux settled into a “routine” of sorts. They would cooperate with each other when they had to work together on something, and then sneak into each other’s quarters at night -- not every night, of course, but enough that it was clear they both had a significant hunger for each other. As time went by, their working relationship actually began to improve, which in turn improved their productivity. Phasma even made a comment about it, noting how well they were getting along for once. Ren was taken aback by receiving a compliment from her. Sure, it was backhanded in the way she said it, but it was one of the most positive things she’d ever said about them. He was a bit surprised, however, by how annoyed Hux looked when Phasma said that, but he didn’t look into it too much; being annoyed was one of Hux’s main pastimes.

This day was not going as smoothly as he’d hoped. Ren and Hux had a very heated debate regarding the most strategically beneficial locations to place troops. Normally, Ren would have been furious if someone had dared to interrupt him mid-argument, but he was honestly thankful that one of the officers stepped in to diffuse the tension between them. (Especially since this officer’s interjection made a lot more sense than what either he or Hux was saying.) Neither of them said all that much for the rest of the meeting, and they certainly did not say anything to each other. From across the table, Ren could see Phasma look over at Hux. He had no idea what it meant, but by the way Hux winced, it seemed like  _ he _ knew.

Later that day, Ren found himself storming down a corridor, paying almost no attention to where he was going because he needed to clear his head after everything that happened earlier. However, a glint of red hair caught his eye and made him almost come to a stop. He took a better look and saw, unsurprisingly, that it was General Hux walking in his direction, having what seemed to be an important conversation with some other officers. Hux noticed him almost immediately. It was impossible to tell what he was saying but he clearly made his excuses and broke away from the conversation before making his way over to Ren. 

“Snoke wants to talk to you,” Hux said flatly.

“Hello to you too, General,” Ren replied, making no effort to hide his irritation. “Did he say what this was about?”

“Come with me.”

“Okay?”

Ren followed Hux, although he didn’t know why Hux felt the need to go with him. He hadn’t indicated that Snoke wanted to talk to them both, but Ren was not in the mood to potentially start another argument by asking. He only put his foot down when Hux led him past the turn to the throne room.

“You do realize that this is the wrong way, don’t you, General?”

“Shut up, Ren,” Hux replied, not looking even turning to look at him.

Ren continued, one stride behind Hux, baffled.  _ What the hell is he playing at?  _ Ren thought. It soon became apparent as Hux looked around, clearly trying to see if anyone was around, and then abruptly stopped. In one swift motion Hux swiveled around, grabbing Ren and pulling him into a nearby storage room, locking the door behind him. It was small and dark with imposing, industrial shelves all the way to the ceiling. Ren instinctively pulled his mask off. The moment he placed it on the shelf behind him he found himself enveloped by Hux, whose kiss had a fire behind it that hadn’t been there in weeks. Ren reciprocated the kiss, equally charged with desire and fury. 

“What the  _ hell  _ was wrong with you earlier?!” Ren growled as he pulled away from their embrace.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Hux said, enmity bubbling to the surface. “You completely undermined  _ my _ authority.”

“ _ Your _ authority?” Ren said in a mocking tone. He opened his mouth to make an additional snide remark. Before he got the chance, Hux grabbed him by the neckline of his shirt and pushed him up against the nearest patch of bare wall, placing a hand on the back of Ren’s head. 

“Yes,” Hux asserted, his face mere inches away from Ren’s.

In every aspect of their lives they each yearned for control. That was one of the fundamental components of their relationship -- a constant battle for control; and it seemed that for the moment, Hux was winning.  _ Interesting _ , Ren thought. He wasn’t used to being the one in this position, it was usually the other way around, but much to his surprise, he kind of enjoyed it. Ren wouldn’t admit it out loud, but there was something about this illusion of being at the mercy of another person that was a bit exciting. He leaned in to kiss Hux. Their lips briefly touched, filling Ren with a sensation that was indescribably electrifying, before Hux broke away and pressed his hand more firmly against Ren’s chest. Obviously, Ren could easily overpower Hux if he wanted to, but he didn't. In this moment he let himself be powerless. There was something about it he almost found “cute.”

“What, exactly, do you think you can accomplish here, General?” Ren asked, faintly letting a smirk crack his stoic facade.

Hux didn’t reply. Instead, he pushed the outer layers of Ren’s clothing off of his shoulders and slowly lowered himself to his knees, running his hands down Ren’s body, and staring into his eyes as he did so. Though Ren knew it was impossible, he felt as though Hux was gazing into his soul, judging his every action, and ultimately deeming him worthy of something.

“What are you doing?” Ren asked.

“Shut up,” Hux replied, grasping the waistband of Ren’s pants.

It wasn’t until Hux had undone the buttons, fully releasing him, that Ren realized just how turned on he was. He had only been kissed and lightly shoved up against a wall, and yet he was so hard. Since they started sleeping together, they hadn't shied away from experimentation, but they’d never done what Ren assumed was going to happen. There had always been something holding them back, but it seemed like that something had disappeared.

“Are you sure you want to--” 

“I said. Shut. Up,” Hux reaffirmed as he pulled his gloves off before stroking Ren lightly. “I know what I’m doing,” he continued with unwavering confidence.

Ren didn’t question him on that. Though he had never felt the need nor wanted to ask Hux about his personal life prior to their first night together, he knew that Hux had more than a little experience in this area. Ren didn’t even have to look into his mind to know this, he could tell by the way he -- Ren gasped as Hux took Ren’s cock in his mouth. They glanced at each other in the low light of the storage room, neither of them entirely sure how the hell they ended up here, but  _ very  _ sure of just how much satisfaction they got out of it. Ren grabbed onto a nearby shelf for support, accidentally knocking a box off the shelf, which landed with a thud no louder than the sounds he was already making. He closed his eyes. He was already a lot closer to climax than he should have been, and he knew watching would only make it worse. He let the wall support more of his body weight and let himself be consumed by the pleasure overwhelming his senses -- the slow, smooth motion of Hux’s lips up and down his length. After what felt like hours yet a blink of an eye, he couldn’t take it anymore.

“Wait, I’m going to--” Ren warned. 

Hux didn’t miss a beat and began using his hands again, bringing Ren to completion, making sure neither of them got soiled as pleasure overwhelmed all of Ren’s senses to the point where he almost felt numb. Ren quickly refastened his pants and straightened up the rest of his clothing. He thought for a moment about making Hux get up, but instead, he knelt down to meet him. They looked each other in the eyes, coming to a silent, mutual understanding that they both needed this. 

Ren leaned in and whispered, “do you want me to.. do that to you now?”

“No. We’ve been gone for too long.” Hux paused for a moment as he put his gloves back on before standing up and adding, “Meet me in my quarters tonight.” 

Hux lifted Ren’s chin with one finger and walked out the door, leaving Ren to clean up, alone and on his knees.

* * *

From that point on, every time too much tension built up between them they wouldn’t wait until the night to have each other. If they had an argument in public, within hours one of them would pull the other away from another conversation under the guise of Snoke wanting to talk to them. Or, on other occasions, one would sternly request to speak with the other in private. In the latter situation, everyone just assumed that they were just going to continue their argument without an audience to witness them further embarrass themselves -- or at least that’s what Phasma had told Hux. He wasn’t sure how much truth there was to Phasma’s words, but if that’s what the others thought, they wouldn’t be entirely wrong. As unconventional and, frankly, still incomprehensible as it was, they had worked out a system to resolve their disagreements through a physical catharsis.

In the following months, as Starkiller Base got closer and closer to being finished, the frequency of their “arguments” went up. It was perfectly natural for that to happen in that it was objectively a stressful situation for, well, everybody… But they were also using it as an excuse to be together. They never broached the subject, but Hux couldn’t lie to himself that that was partially what he was doing, and he knew Ren well enough to know it was true for him too. But he didn’t worry about either of their motives that much. Despite the altercations and overall chaos in the First Order, Snoke praised the two of them for all they had been doing to help. That is, until the day they were summoned without warning.

Ren had approached Hux in a corridor saying Snoke wanted to speak with them. Hux smirked, momentarily believing this to be the start of another hook-up until it registered in his head that there was something very different about the way Ren said it. This was going to be a real meeting, and it was clear neither of them knew what it was about. Hux nodded and walked in tandem with Ren to the throne room. 

There were no pleasantries when they arrived.

“Do you know why I have summoned you two?” Snoke asked, in a tone more reminiscent of scolding children than reprimanding grown adults.

“No, Supreme Leader,” Hux replied.

“No?” 

“No,” Ren added.

Hux’s blood boiled from Snoke’s demeaning words. Not only was he treating them like children, but he was doing it for no obvious reason. _Unless he found out --_ _no_. Hux tried to banish the thought from his head.

Snoke leaned forward in his throne. “You are still aware of your roles in the First Order, yes?” 

“Of course, Supreme Leader,” Hux replied, using all of his willpower to hide his discomfort.

“I don’t understand, Supreme Leader,” Ren interjected. “We’ve been carrying out your wishes like you’ve commanded. What did we do?”

“Hmm,” Snoke sank back into the throne, and dismissed the guards. “I think you both know what you did.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about--” Hux said before being cut off.

“SILENCE!”

Hux and Ren turned to each other. Hux knew he’d lost the battle to feign composure and when he looked into Ren’s eyes, he saw what almost looked to be fear. Time seemed to stop as Snoke showed them a security hologram catching them in a dark corner of the ship, almost out of view, but unmistakably tangled in each other’s arms. Hux was horrified. This could cost him everything and it was all because they had gotten too comfortable with each other, too sloppy, and didn’t double-check that they were properly out of sight. Hux couldn't bear to watch the recording, he couldn't bear to see this smaller, translucent version of himself lost in bliss, kissing the man who stood next to him. After what felt like a lifetime, Snoke ended his suffering by turning off the recording.

"You two are highly valuable to me and I will  _ not _ have you jeopardize everything we've worked for by behaving this way. I might have expected something like this from you, Ren, but General," Snoke turned to Hux, "I expected more from you. End it. Now." 

"But Supreme Leader, we--" Ren started.

"This is your first and final warning. Understood?" His words were harsh and absolute, leaving little room for speculation about what might become of them if they don't obey.

Hux looked at Ren, whose expression conveyed the devastation he was concealing. Ren looked back and silently agreed on what they had to do.

"Understood," they said in unison.

"Very good," Snoke replied, "you are dismissed."

And that was that. Everything that had happened over the past however many months was smashed to pieces. They turned to leave and Ren immediately stormed off, leaving Hux alone and hollow.

* * *

It had been almost a year and a half since Supreme Leader Snoke tore Hux and Ren apart. Though he dared not divulge the details, Hux had confided in Phasma that “something” had happened between him and Ren that he knew could never be fixed. She wasn’t one to offer emotional support, and even if she were, Hux would never have let someone see him vulnerable -- never again. But now she’s dead. She’d been dead for almost a year, and only now did Hux have the time to come to terms with it. In the short span of a few months, Hux lost the only two people he had any sort of connection with and suffered the humiliation of the destruction of Starkiller Base.

_ This isn’t how this was supposed to go _ , he thought as he sat alone in his quarters. Those rebels shouldn’t have been able to do that much damage to the First Order, Snoke shouldn’t have been killed that easily, Ren shouldn’t have assumed power, and Ren assuming power shouldn’t have caused Hux to feel the sheer amount of visceral hatred he was currently feeling. None of this should have happened. And worst of all, he was forced to take orders from Kylo Ren, to submit to the person he had been the most intimate with -- but that was a long time ago. 

They never discussed what happened after they ended their… whatever they had going. They just acted like none of it happened. Without the one thing they had to resolve their disputes, they accepted that they all they could do was suppress the amalgam of emotions they felt towards each other, saying all the correct things to each other, but with an unmistakable tinge of hostility. 

Just seeing Ren made Hux feel like he was being mocked. Who did he think he was? He had compromised the integrity of the First Order for his own gain. Had he not learned his lesson about letting his personal interests get in the way of duty? Clearly, he hadn’t, and because of him, Hux’s career was slipping through his fingers like melting ice. As far as he was concerned, the First Order that he worked so hard to build was dead. Nothing he could do at this point would be capable of repairing the damage Ren had done. No matter how hard he fought it, he was going down, but maybe he had a chance to take Kylo Ren down with him...

Hux considered his options, all of which he hated, and ultimately settled on the one he thought would have the highest chance of success even though it went against everything he stood for. But it wasn’t like he truly had anything to stand for at this point. He had been pushed to the side to make way for other, more “experienced” officers. Yes, they may be older than him, but that didn’t make them more wise. They didn’t -- they _couldn’t_ know the First Order like _he_ did. All he could do was sit down and shut up with little chance of advancement and absolutely no chance of seeing the First Order rise to its true potential.

He wished that Phasma were here. She would have never let things get this far out of hand. But they had and maybe Phasma wouldn’t have necessarily  _ approved _ of what Hux was about to do, but he knew that she would have understood why he was going to do it.

* * *

Hux stood across from Allegiant General Pryde, looking his fate in the eyes. He was visibly in pain from where he’d had that rebel shoot him, but otherwise, he didn’t really bother trying to sell his story. If they hadn’t felt the need to carry out their little rescue mission, he never would have needed to haphazardly help them escape. But it was done. The Resistance had a fighting chance of stopping Kylo Ren and that was all he cared about. It didn’t matter what happened to him next: he’d done all he could accomplish his goal.

And yet, it was still a shock when the Allegiant General pulled the trigger.

The white hot pain of the blaster bolt piercing his chest made time disappear as he fell to the floor. He tried to hold on, to let his anger and determination keep him alive so he could see Ren’s downfall, to see Ren at the mercy of another person. Hux clenched his fists as his mind drifted to the times that Ren was at  _ his _ mercy, to the soft texture of Ren’s hair, to the memory of being held in his arms… 

_ No, _ Hux thought as everything began closing in. He knew he wasn’t going to make it out of this, and he wasn’t going to have his last thoughts be of him and Ren in the throes of pleasure. Instead, he focused what little strength he had on remembering all ways Ren had wronged him. He hoped that the Resistance would defeat Kylo Ren -- they  _ had  _ to. But if they didn’t, at least Hux didn’t have to see Ren further destroy everything he had ever cared about. And with that, he let go, sinking into the pool of blood that grew around him.

* * * 

Ren stood numbly in a corridor of the Steadfast, as far away from others as he thought he could get. He couldn’t make sense of what he’d been told. Why would Hux, of all people, be the one leaking information to the Resistance? He was  _ loyal _ to the First Order, he practically  _ built _ the damn thing. Ren thought that Hux’s devotion to the First Order would keep him in place -- he thought that even if he, personally, couldn’t fully separate his personal and private life, at least Hux could. He just assumed that Hux wouldn’t betray him if it meant betraying the First Order. But as time went by, the point where Ren ended and the First Order began had become indistinguishable. Ren saw his reflection in the perfectly polished floor of the ship. He was the Supreme Leader, he spoke on behalf of the First Order, his objectives were those of the Order. It’s no wonder Hux betrayed the First Order when it had become synonymous to “Kylo Ren.”

Through the numbness came waves of anger and pain. How was he supposed to defeat the Resistance when they had been aided by--

Ren punched the wall. Not hard enough to do damage, but hard enough to stop himself from finishing that thought. He rested his head on the wall, thankful he had his mask in case anyone walked by. He hated this -- he hated everything… and he knew it was his fault. He knew that if he had just let Hux keep going about his life after Snoke’s death, he wouldn’t be in this position. But no, he just  _ had _ to assert his power and feel like he was in control of their dynamic. His warped, bitter relationship with Hux was due to external circumstances -- to Snoke, and when he killed Snoke, he could have tried to rebuild that relationship at least somewhat. Instead he -- 

He didn’t want to think about what he’d done to Hux. He didn’t want to think about the way he treated Hux like he was no more valuable than a droid and not like someone he knew so well, someone he was once attr-- someone he was once close to… He closed his eyes, but all he saw was Hux on their first night together and the inexplicable beauty of his form. Ren reopened his eyes, but was affronted by the memory of the sensation of their bodies pressed together. He didn’t want to think about any of this.

Ren felt himself begin to sink to the floor before a disturbance in the Force snapped him out of it. He knew it was the Emperor trying to contact him, and he knew he had to put all of this aside. Even though he didn’t want to think about what had happened, he wished he at least had time to. But he didn’t. The universe wasn’t going to pause to let him process whatever he was feeling, so all he could do was pretend it didn’t happen and keep going even if it was hard, even if it  _ hurt _ , because he wasn’t going to let Hux win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's stuck around and read this! Writing this was incredibly fun and I am very excited to start working on new projects soon

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to miles_and_miles for being my beta reader


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